For admitting Adela, hospital loses patients

VILLASIS, Pangasinan — For admitting Adela Catalon, the country’s first confirmed SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) case, the Villasis Polymedic Hospital and Trauma Center now has no patients and is appealing for help from the Department of Health (DOH).

Dr. Francisco Olivar, director and part-owner of the hospital, told The STAR in a phone interview yesterday that the DOH has cited them for attending to Catalon.

But the hospital is now "suffering" because of this "noble act," he lamented. "I am suffering from what I thought (was the right thing to do)," he said. The hospital used to have an average of 15 patients daily.

Asked if he had any regrets for admitting Catalon, Olivar said, "Not at all. However, on one side, there’s little regret because you see we didn’t do anything wrong but we are being shunned by our patients."

He said the Catalons decided to initially bring Adela to the Villasis Polymedic Hospital and Trauma Center being the biggest and nearest to Alcala.

After that, the hospital had to close for two weeks to observe quarantine of its 10 employees, who were present when Adela was admitted, as well as to sanitize its facilities.

No one among the 10 employees, however, got sick. The hospital subsequently reopened and even received a commendation signed by Health Secretary Manuel Dayrit and President Arroyo when they visited Barangay Vacante, Alcala, the Catalons’ hometown, to officially declare the village as SARS-free last May 2.

A streamer hangs in front of the Villasis Polymedic Hospital and Trauma Center, with the words "SARS-free. Certified and commended by DOH."

Despite this, Olivar said they are finding it difficult convincing the people that there’s nothing to fear.

About five to six days ago, a patient scheduled to undergo surgery in the hospital backed out after his relatives in Manila learned that Adela had been brought there.

According to Olivar, the hospital is facing huge losses and he is worried about where to get the money for the salaries of their employees and for payments for the loan with which they bought their equipment.

The 22-bed hospital started operations four years ago.

"I am hoping that the DOH would help us in (informing the public) that our hospital is SARS-free and that the people should not fear in consulting us," Olivar said.

Adela Catalon, a nursing assistant in Toronto, Canada, arrived in Barangay Vacante, Alcala last April 5. She was rushed to the Villasis Polymedic Hospital and Trauma Center at about 5 p.m. of April 12.

Because she was manifesting SARS symptoms, her attending physician immediately referred her case to Olivar, who, in turn, advised her relatives to bring her immediately to the San Lazaro Hospital on the morning of April 13.

She died the following day. Her 73-year-old father, Mauricio, earlier diagnosed to be cancer-stricken, passed away on April 22 also due to SARS.